Page 9 - SWIM PH UAAP Issue 2015_Neat

NEENREARATION

RAFAEL BARETTO

14, ateneo de manila university
– high school Division
Stroke: BUTTERFLY

“When you fail, stand up and go on because when you
fail, you learn.” For Rafael Baretto, life is a learning
process and it is through failures that you learn the

most. What started as a casual learn to swim activity
when he was eight years old, Rafael slowly developed
a passion for the sport as he honed his swimming
skills. Less than a year later, he was already
competing in the G-league level along with his
brother, Miguel Baretto. Born and raised in
Bulacan, Rafael recalls falling off the diving
board in a G-league leg in Baguio when
he was 10 years old as the turning point
in his swimming career. Because of that
disqualification, he took that as a challenge
to be a better swimmer and to make his
parents and family proud. Three years later
in the Palarong Pambansa in Dumaguete City,
Rafael won seven gold medals and broke two
records, winning the most outstanding award for

the elementary division and helping Region 3 win the
championship in the Boys’ Elementary Division. It was
this competition that cemented his place as one of the
top swimmers of his age group.
Today, Rafael is now living and studying in the Ateneo
de Manila High School and acknowledges his parents
as his biggest inspiration and supporters in life. With
the help of his coaches, Coach Archie Lim and Candice
Esguerra, Rafael has his sights set on the Rookie of
the Year Award this year. He hopes to help the team
in securing the “11-peat” and continue the legacy of
winning for the Ateneo High School Swim Team.
A Grade 9 student in Ateneo High School, Rafael puts
importance on both academics and swimming. Beyond
that Rafael also wants to give back to the sport by being
a coach or an inspirational speaker to the younger kids.
His advice? “Find enjoyment in swimming, but make
sure you do not sacrifice your studies. You won’t win all
the time, so you have to take losing graciously and know
how to get back from it.”

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